OS..the day he knew he loved her

This was it, no backing out, nothing the guest fluttered into the hall peacefully Asad's palms were sweating beyond control, "nervous Asad? Nahi noway" he thought as he fixed his sherwani for the millionth time. Zoya looked at herself in the mirror her sirbandi hung sideways on her forehead, her slight makeup, her jumka earring that he gifted her hung magnificently from her ear lobe she looked bahut beautiful, "Zoya don't runaway ok?" she thought as she fixed her red dupatta gifted by her ammi (Dilshad). Asad walked down and he greeted everyone, dressed down in his cream and burgandi sherwani with golden beads and threads Asad Ahmed Khan could never have looked more gorgeously handsome that day. He took his seat on his side of the hall and awaited the arrival of his would be wife with anticipation. Zoya began to descend the staircase dressed in her traditional dark red garara, her mehndi going unnoticeable, her face flushed with pink, she smiled and greeted all the guest as she walked past them, Asad couldn't take his eyes off her and in that moment when their eyes met for that short second Asad remembered the day he realized how much he had fallen in love with the crazy, out spoken, talkative, happy bubbly lardki from America the lardki he was totally opposite to nothing in common, but he remembered that day like it was yesterday.

"Asad woh bechaari Zoya carry out na?" "ammi woh bechaari nahi hai" and Asad rolled his eyes, it had been two months since Zoya's Appi and Jijaju and Asad ammi Dilshad had arranged for them to be married, and a month and a half since Zoya had been staying with the Khans. Zoya was dying to go to the mall but her Appi and Jijaju forbade her to leave to go out in public places unless she was accompanied by someone from the Khan's, Najma had started back college after the first month she was there and they had gotten so close, they use to go out often but now she didn't have anyone to go anywhere, Zoya sulked around the house and Phupi noticed, "Asad listen to me you are not going to work today…understand you are taking that girl out an that is final no buts go leave..chaliye" and Phupi pushed him out her room "don't disappoint me Asad" and she gave him a half smile as she shut the door on him. Zoya and Asad often fought for every trivial matter there was how were they going to spend a day together? Asad knocked and entered "Ms. Farooqui ? would you like to go ma…" and before he could finish "yes yes yes lets go" Zoya grabbed up her ipad and her carrying case and was almost in the living room waiting on Asad to leave her room by the time he finished saying "mall".

They shortly arrived at the mall, Zoya faced filled with excitement and joy as she stepped through the automatic doors, Asad right behind her trailing her like a good puppy. All Zoya craved for the past month was to be in close proximity to civilization, without Najma she was lonely and her would be husband didn't help the situation either. Zoya rushed off leaving Asad stunned standing in the middle of the doorway as he looked at her with complete joy on her face head off in the direction of the store that had Dhoni's picture plastered all over, he rolled his eyes and smiled slightly as he quickly caught up to. "Ms. Farooqui you will be living in india after one week do you really…?" and she cut him off completely "Mr.Khan aap introvert hai, Phupi gave u and ultimatum and so we are here…after our nikaah I highly doubt ill see civilization again" she smirked jokingly at his shock facial expression. "I am going to gather as much as I can before something like work comes up and you leave again as you always do" with that said Zoya headed into the store and met with a sales clerk as she picked out jerseys, caps and anything with dhoni's name or face on to buy. Asad looked at her with complete amazement as she searched around then paid and grabbed her shopping bags and headed towards him, she raised out her hands filled with the bags and motioned for him to take them "what?" "what do you mean what? Take the bags" Asad after hesitating finally took them, as they turned Asad saw a few of his friends sitting in the foodcourt they motioned Asad and Zoya to join them. They were all seated in a few and they began chatting the girls talked bout makeup and the latest designs of shalwars as Zoya sat there she felt more awkward than she had ever been in her life, the girls continued to talk about other girls who disrespect there religion by wearing southern clothing and how they can never make good bahu's how they cause embarrasmnet to their families, Zoya sat through every stinging word that came out of there lips and not once did she object, Asad looked at her and he knew they were aiming at her, yet she sat quietly at his side and nodded when they based questions to her, the guys talked bout other trivial matters which Asad staryed from because he couldn't bear the silence from her, "Why is she so quiet? Why aren't you defending yourself?" "allah miya what is wrong with you Mr.Khan I am your soon to be wife yet you sit quietly? Defend me please?" as tears welled up in her eyes Zoya grabbed up her ipad bag, got up quickly "excuse me?" and rushed off, Asad saw her eyes and it pained him "what kind of lardki you are marrying Asad?" "she just got up and left without asking your permission?" "Sannu that's what happens when a girl grows up in another country and fakes innocence to be married in her place of birth" his friends retorted as Asad face grew red with anger, "how dare she embarrass me? What was the need for her to leave in such haste?" "what and embarrassment Asad, your soon to be wife just walked off without an explanation, what will happen after marriage, she has no values, no respect, shameless walking around with such revealing clothes" As they voiced their opinions of Zoya on Asad all he saw was the girl that dressed in southern clothing, yet had more values then his friends wives, the lardki that he saw on many occasions bow down before god with tears in her eyes, yet never stopped believing, he saw the future bahu of his ammi in the very same lardki his friends chastised as being shameless, he saw the girl he was totally opposite to risk her own life for his mother, all what had happened during the past month had given her more pain than she could have bear yet she stood strong, even the news about her abhu's death she stood strong on the outside "what changed? How could I think she's an embarrassment..nahi". Asad stood up "Shameless? How dare you call my fianc shameless? She is more respectful than your wives her clothes do not bother me she prays more than anyone I know, she respects her religion and customs more than a person born into it, yet you judge her by what she wears and you call her shameless?...her innocence allowed her to get up and leave without giving you a befitting reply to your baseless accusations." Asad picked up the shopping bags and turned and left hearing his friends "Asad listen" "Asad Asad…" "Asad we are sorry…" …Asad ignored all and continued walking, he searched the entire mall for her yet he didn't see her anywhere, it was getting late, he waited till the mall was closed, yet he didn't see her come out, Asad wasn't afraid of anything or anyone except his mother her words echoed in his mind as the guards closed the doors and locked them, "don't disappoint me"… Asad was afraid, he tried calling Zoya but she didn't pick up, he drove home with worry, as he pushed open the door her heard laughter illuminating the room, as his eyes moved towards the sound there he saw the most important people in his life sitting having dinner, "Asad did the meeting finish early?" Asad with a confused expression, Zoya noticing, jumped into the conversation "Vo Mr. Khan I informed Phupi that you had an urgent meeting that's why you sent me home with the cab, she was angry but I explained that it concerned a very sensitive business pitch and vo shes not angry anymore" Zoya smiled whole heartedly at Asad. Phupi motioned him to wash up and join them for dinner, Asad sat down and he looked at Zoya in complete shock when he had entered he was relief to see her but this was a complete shock, as she stood up graciously wearing a pink and white shalwar, she pulled the dupatta to cover her head, she picked up the serving bowls and served Asad his meal, he looked on in amazement, as he didn't see the lardki he had grown to love, "what is this? Why is she wearing this kind of clothes? Did it bother her that much?" Asad eyes didn't leave her for a second, he kept steering at her, throughout the entire meal, Zoya had to practically shove Najma and Phupi out of the kitchen so that she would clean up, Asad still sitting at the table looked at her, as she found it hard to move in all the clothing she was wearing, "she looked beautiful, but doesn't she always look beautiful with her jeans and kurti's?" Asad thought as he got up to help her clear the table. "nahi stop what are you doing?" "vo helping," "nahi I don't need it, didn't need it today and I surely don't need it now" she slowly took the plate from his hand and placed it with the others, "you should go freshen up, I will do the dishes ok?" with a weak smile, Asad left. As he showered all he could think about was her words "didn't need your help today?" Asad rolled his eyes, and placed his hand on his head "what did I do? I let her leave and I said nothing to defend her? Defend her after she leaves brilliant!!Smart really smart Asad".

Asad knocked and entered her room, but she wasn't there, her room was neat beyond belief, everything was in place, there was nothing wrong, as he turned to leave he saw her sitting out on the bench in the garden looking up, the moon shined magnificently on her face, then he noticed her hand wiping her cheeks "Again she's crying?"… "Allah miya…I must have really embarrassed him today, but Allah I couldn't bare their harsh words, I know I am different and I am trying my best, even a small step helps, I changed my clothing, and soon ill change completely just the way he want me to be I will be, I just wish I wasn't alone, wish my ammi was here so I could share my joy of being enegaged to such an extraordinary person and my pain of not being able to changed fast enough for him to accept me…Allah miya please help me" Zoya said out loud as her tears fled down her face. Asad stood in horror as he hears her words it felt as though his heart was being punctured over and over his face grew pale, Asad walked back into the house marched into her room grabbed a pair of her jeans and a kurti grabbed a bag shoved them into it and walked back out where Zoya was. "Ms Farooqui… mai tumse gift for you.." Zoya stood up "Mr. Khan please let it be what I did was for both of us, no need for a gift, Phupi wanted to know why I was back, had to make an excuse right? Mujhe marv kar deje for leaving like that today aswell it was very rude of me, I am sorr…" "nahi stop what are you doing? Don't just take it and open it" a hesitant Zoya took the plastic bag and opened it to find her Jeans and Kurti inside, "Mr. Khan this is not a gift these are mines" she looked at him confused. "Zoya…Zoya… allow me, I am sorry for my friends behaviour they had no right, and I had all the right but I said nothing, I am sorry please forgive me? This is you, your clothes your identity I don't need you to change I accept you the way you are, and you should know this cause.." "I embarrass you, I see it the way people look at me, and I promised myself and my Aapi and Jijaju that I would never embarrass you or your family yet I didn't notice that I was already doing it." Zoya retorted "what those girls said was nothing far from the truth" "what truth? Zoya are you paagal? What those girls said has nothing to do with you, you are not like what they described. I know you" Zoya was filled with rage "you claim to know me huh? Yet today you just sat there while they hurled insults at me and said nothing, I waited and waited for you to say something anything but you remained quiet, did you know how much it pained to sit there and listen and watch you say nothing?do you Mr.Khan do you" and she shoved him hard, he felt the pain in her transfer to him with her touch "She's back now tell her" Asad thought "Zoya I love you, and I promise you that I will never allow anything or anyone hurt you again, and I am bahuta sorry, mujhe marv kar deje please Zoya?" "I love you Zoya" Asad said again, Zoya grabbed him and hugged him tightly, "I love you, Asad ji" "Asad raised her off slowly and kissed her head, nahi, not Asad ji just Asad. And she hugged him tighter.

Zoya was soon seated and the imam began the recitation from the Quran, the vows were taken and the imam asked "Asad Ahmed Khan, son of Rahid Ahmed Khan qubool hai Zoya Farooqui daughter of Anwar Farooqui? Asad looked deeply through the veil at his blushing bride and recited three times "Qubool hai Qubool hai Qubool hai!" "Zoya Farooqui, daughter of Anwar Farooqui qubool hai Asad Ahmed Khan son of Rashid Ahmed Khan?" "no running she said over and over, I love him" she thought, then she took a deep breath and recited slowly "Qubool hai Qubool hai Qubool hai!" all cheered in excitement as dilshad and Zeenat hugged affectionately, they moved Zoya out from the veil and placed her next to her husband. The crowd greeted them and Zoya and Asad looked at each other with pure love in there eyes as pictures were clicked they mouthed to each other "I love you".